The present invention is directed generally to the buckle art and more particularly to a two-piece, molded plastic buckle structure.
Two-piece buckle structures are generally known in the art, and have often been referred to heretofore by terms such as clasp, clasp fastener, and the like. To facilitate the present disclosure, however, the term buckle will be generally utilized hereinafter to refer to the invention.
For example in U.S. Pat. No. 1,701,970 to Chaunard, a two-piece clasp structure is revealed, perferably constructed from metal for use with jewelry or the like. Similarly, in related U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,251,110 and 3,844,000 to Hedu, fastener devices consisting of a separable housing member and insert member are illustrated. These latter fastener devices are suitable for uses in garments, jewelry and the like for detachably holding two articles together. Moreover, these latter fasteners are preferably made of plastics material by conventional injection molding techniques.
In each of the foregoing prior art devices, some form of releasable locking means are provided on one or both of the interfitting housing member and insert member to effect releasable coupling of the fastener or buckle device. However, especially in molded plastics products, there is some difficulty with providing positively interlocking devices which are sufficiently resistant to inadvertent disengagement.
In this latter regard, it is desirable to provide an interlocking structure or arrangement which while quite simple to engage, preferably in response to a single direction of movement by the user, requires a more complex movement for disengagement. Moreover, it is desirable to provide such a structure which may be readily molded by conventional techniques at a minimum of labor and expense. In this latter regard, minimizing the labor and expense of producing such a molded part requires that the design thereof be relatively simple and require as few independent and/or moving parts as possible.